Jennifer Jackson – Literary Agent

Heroic Hearts by Jim Butcher (editor) and Kerrie Hughes (editor)

“In this new collection, editors Butcher and Hughes introduce a dozen short stories by some of today’s best urban fantasy writers. Standouts include Anne Bishop’s “The Dark Ship,” where, across the ocean from her tales of the Others, an act from a young woman brings her, and her town’s troubles, to the attention of great powers. Two powerful women face grief and hope on a search for their daughter in Annie Bellet’s “Train to Last Hope.” Werewolf Asil discovers that online dating may not be the trial he believes it is in “Dating Terrors,” by Patricia Briggs. Jim Butcher centers “Little Things” on the pixie Toot-Toot as he defends Dresden’s new castle, with an uneasy ally in Mister the cat. Avid fans of these authors will enjoy where their stories intersect with favorite characters, while new readers will find the shorts accessible and filled with vivid worldbuilding and interesting figures. VERDICT A resoundingly successful collection of stories focused on heart, humor, and the strength of courage.” — Library Journal

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall

“The second book in Hall’s Mkalis Cycle will not disappoint readers of her standout fantasy The Border Keeper (2019). When readers reenter this rich, complex world of twisting godly politics and rule-based realms, Hall zooms them in on Tyn. She’s still recovering from the last book’s events, hurt and reeling, trying to balance new revelations with her loyalty to Res Lfae, ruler of Tahmais. When a lying villain with an impossible weapon comes to her realm to tear it apart, Tyn has to band together with the reticent First Spear Vehn, who hates her, and the cynical Rion, who’s still new to Mkalis and completely lost. All three characters go through convincing transformations in this eerie, suspenseful story based in Hall’s deeply unsettling world that gleams at the corners. The scenes are cinematically visceral, with pages soaked in sensory detail, atmosphere, and the tense promise of danger lurking at the edges of every rule-bound realm. Readers will feel they’re dropped into the story—and that will undoubtedly make their skin crawl, in all the right ways. This horror-fantasy will have readers waiting impatiently for the next volume in Hall’s dark series.” — Booklist, Starred Review

The audio edition of Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir is a 2022 Audie Award finalist!

The 2021 Locus Recommended Reading List includes Elizabeth Bear, Kerstin Hall, and Martha Wells!

First Novels

Star Eater, Kerstin Hall (Tordotcom)

Novellas

A Blessing of Unicorns, Elizabeth Bear (Audible Originals 10/20; Asimov’s 9-10/21)
Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

Novelettes

“The Red Mother”, Elizabeth Bear (Tor.com 6/23/21)

Double congratulations to Martha Wells for Network Effect, the fifth book in the Murderbot Diaries, winning the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Novel and The Murderbot Diaries winning the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Series!